Fabergé Visionnaire DTZ On-Wrist Review

MTF provides a comprehensive historical overview of Fabergé, tracing its complex journey from a revered Russian jeweler to a global brand with diverse product lines. His article then transitions into an on-wrist review of the Visionnaire DTZ, contextualizing the watch within the brand's ambitious revival.

HISTORY

Fabergé Imperial Egg

The House of Fabergé was an 'artist jeweller' firm in St. Petersburg, Russia, founded in 1842 by Gustav Faberge and continued by his son Peter Carl Fabergé, until it was "nationalised" by the Bolsheviks in 1918. The name is synonymous with Easter because of elaborate jewel-encrusted Fabergé eggs and timepieces for Russian royalty: "bizarre creatures, bejewelled objects and wondrous eggs".

After the Bolsheviks "nationalised" the Russian Fabergé firm, they sold treasured pieces from the factory and the Winter Palace for a pittance to "buy farm equipment and bread".  Engaged in a bloody civil war (Reds vs. Whites and the Rest), they were pseudo-intellectuals leading peasants on their 'Animal Farm'; they could grab power by the sickle but did not know what to do.

Wealthy American and French collectors and dealers swooped in and carted off innumerable crates of Fabergé pieces.

Fabergé Imperial Egg

In 1924, Peter Carl's sons (Alexander and Eugène) opened Fabergé et Cie in Paris, as a rival company with 'true bloodline' using the trademark "FABERGÉ, PARIS". In 1937, the brand name "Fabergé Inc" was registered in USA by Samuel Rubin, who was an importer of soap and olive oil until the Spanish civil war stopped that business. Fabergé Inc made perfumes and toiletries that the Fabergé family did not know about until 1945, when they sued from Paris. As you can imagine, trying a lawsuit against an American firm from France, in a foreign language, was doomed to failure. To add insult to injury, Rubin registered the Fabergé USA trademark for jewellery as well in 1946!

Money ran out and an out-of-court settlement was accepted in 1951 whereby Rubin agreed to pay the family $25,000 to use the Fabergé name "only for perfume". In 1964, Rubin sold Fabergé Inc for $26 million to Rayette Inc to become Rayette-Fabergé Inc. but in 1971 the company name reverted to Fabergé Inc. From 1964 to 1984, many well known product lines and clothes, as well as feature movies were produced by Fabergé Inc. The most famous were 'Brut' cologne and 'Babe' perfume. Brut Productions even made the Academy Award winning movie 'A Touch of Class' (Glenda Jackson) in 1973 and other feature movies.

In 1984, Fabergé et Cie (Paris) shockingly lost their rights to use the trademark Fabergé for jewelry after a lawsuit against the giant Fabergé Inc. Fabergé et Cie continued to operate in Paris until 2001.

In 1989, Unilever bought Fabergé Inc. for US$1.55 billion and renamed "Elida Fabergé". Unilever registered the Fabergé name as a trademark and granted licenses to third parties to make and sell a range of products ranging from cheap collectibles and custom jewelry to Barbie dolls, jeans and spectacle frames under the Fabergé name. However, it also continued to sell perfume and toiletries branded 'Fabergé'. Lever Fabergé was formed in 2001, through the merger of Lever Brothers and Elida Fabergé. The new company, Lever Fabergé, owned hundreds of cosmetics and household brands including Dove, Impulse, Sure, Lynx, Organics, Timotei, Signal, Persil, Comfort, Domestos, Surf, Sun, and Cif. This meant Lever Fabergé brand appeared on a range of products from bleach to toilet cleaners.

Victor Mayer produced Regulator watch branded as 'Fabergé'

In 1989, the German jewelry company 'Victor Mayer' paid for the licence to produce "Fabergé Eggs", jewelry and watches and generally did a good job on the watches. The current CEO of Fabergé Ltd even wears a "Fabergé" watch made by Victor Mayer.

In 2007, Pallinghurst Resources LLP, an investment advisory firm based in London, announced acquisition of Unilever’s global portfolio of trademarks, licenses and associated rights under the Fabergé brand name through a new company, Fabergé Limited. Later, Fabergé Ltd announced the intention restore Fabergé to its rightful position as a leading purveyor of "enduring and endearing personal possessions". Old licenses to the Fabergé brand were bought back or allowed to lapse.

Reunification of Fabergé brand with the Fabergé family was assured as Tatiana and Sarah Fabergé (great-grand-daughters of Peter Carl Fabergé), became founding members of the Fabergé Heritage Council, a division of Fabergé Limited. In 2013, Fabergé Limited was sold to the gem mining company Gemfields but with Pallinghurst as a shareholder.

In 2009 Fabergé launched its first collection of high jewellery as well as its website. In December 2009, it opened a boutique in Geneva. In 2011, Fabergé launched two collections of egg pendants, including a dozen high jewellery egg pendants. These were the first to have been made by a Fabergé under family advisors since 1917. In 2011, Fabergé was being sold in the Fine Jewellery Room at Harrods and their own boutique on Grafton Street in London. In 2012, Fabergé opened its own boutique on New York's Madison Avenue.

In 2015, Fabergé won a Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève award – 'Ladies Hi Mechanical' prize – for the Fabergé Lady Compliqueé Peacock.

In 2016, Fabergé won a Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève award – 'Travel Time' prize – for the Fabergé Visionnaire DTZ.

Fabergé Visionnaire DTZ 18K RG/Ti

Fabergé CEO Sean Gilbertson and Timepieces Director Aurélie Picaud

REVIVAL

When I heard that Fabergé was producing high-end jewellery again in 2009, it barely registered on my consciousness; partly because I had a vague recollection of, frankly, shoddy recent collectibles bearing that famous licenced name. When, I saw a Fabergé booth at Baselworld 2015 jewellery and watch show, I gaily skipped pass, on my way to the "real watch brands". With the benefit of hindsight, I admit that may have been unjust. When you win one Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève award (GPHG), you may garner the interest of horological commentators. When you win two GPHG in-a-row as Fabergé did in 2015 and 2016, you've got my PuristS attention!

I think the key difference since 2007 has been the avowed goal of producing "enduring and endearing personal possessions" and the involvement of Fabergé family on the Heritage Council. The Heritage Council also has members who are world experts about Fabergé. To this end, old licences have been revoked or bought back. Gemfields owns Fabergé and the world's largest ruby and emerald mines ensuring best material and human resources in production.

This brings us to the first over-arching principle at Fabergé today is to use the best artisans in each of the technical and aesthetic specialties rather than fail in the attempt to establish every skill set internally. The best jewellers, enamellers, watchmakers and engravers across Europe work on the pieces. This is in keeping with Carl Fabergé's use of a network of "Work Masters" who ran their own studios within the Fabergé network.

Of course, reviving endearing Fabergé timepieces requires direction. In November 2013, after an executive search, rejecting many male veterans of the industry,  CEO Sean Gilbertson appointed a young lady, Aurélie Picaud, as Timepieces Director. A graduate of ITECH Engineering School in Lyon, she had worked at Swatch Group, Omega and Audemars Piguet. Fifteen months later, Fabergé presented three complicated watches at Baselworld 2015 — two for ladies and one for men. It was then clear that at Fabergé, the second over-arching principle is that Fabergé watches yhave hidden secrets or endearing surprises.

Aurélie had, somehow, convinced the titans of watchmaking such as Agenhor and APRP (Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi) to collaborate. It took some convincing as we know how fastidious Jean-Marc Wiederrecht can be at Agenhor (Atelier Genevois d'Horlogerie). His list of horological successes include Arnold & Son True North, Chaumet Open Face, Harry Winston Opus 9 and Perpetual Calendar, Hermès Temps Suspendu, MB&F Horological Machine No.2 and HM 3 Frog, Romain Jérôme Spacecraft and three Van Cleef & Arpels models — Fairy, Poetic Wish and Pont Des Amoureux.

THE WINNING PEACOCK

Developed by Agenhor, the Lady Compliquée Peacock featured a gold peacock that fans out its tail feathers over an hour, indicating the minutes as a retrograde display that snaps back to zero on-the-hour. The hours are shown by a rotating ring: the current hour is next to the crown. The technical wizardry is that the four moving feathers travel at different speeds. The first feather moves at 15 degrees per hour, the second at 30 degrees/hour, the third at 45 degrees/hour and the last at 60 degrees/hour; all made possible by the 'AgenFAN' device based on a differential module. There are two series of toothed wheels with increasing diameters on one set and decreasing diameters on the other, that are superimposed on the same axis. They mesh along the entire length and are placed side by side. The first set is driven by the spindle of the hours cam and drives the second set, which individually powers each of the feathers.

The watch was inspired by a Fabergé egg from 1908 containing a bird automaton that could spread its tail feathers.

It won the 2015 GPHG 'Ladies Hi Mechanical' prize

THE TRIUMPHANT VISIONNAIRE DTZ

Visionnaire DTZ 18K RG/Ti

Visionnaire DTZ 18K WG/DLC Ti

In 2016, the Fabergé Visionnaire DTZ with its secret 2nd time zone central display was developed by Agenhor and won the GPHG 'Travel Time' prize. There are two variants available: a rose gold/polished titanium model and a white gold/black DLC treated titanium version.

The Fabergé surprise is that the jumping hour, 2nd time zone display is only visible to the user because of the alignment of numeral with the optics and the watch wearer's wrist. This is only possible by accurate optics and a light gathering system so that the numeral is illuminated despite being deep in the recesses of the watch.
The black jumping hour numeral disc can be seen on this photograph of the movement. Therein lies another Fabergé surprise: even though this is an automatic winding watch, the winding rotor is invisible and a secret!

Another Fabergé secret is the hidden motif inside the movement where a cam is engraved with a wheat sheaf. The lever, which tracks the 60-minute rotation of the cam is part of a larger sector that has been formed into a peacock motif, a bird that frequently appears on Fabergé pieces. When the cam completes its hourly rotation, the lever resets to its lowest point; the peacock appears to 'peck' at the wheat! Even the owner will not see this happening; a whimsical and playful Fabergé show.

TECHNICAL

I asked Jean-Marc Wiederrecht a few technical questions:

Q1) What is the design of the reflecting cone and optics of the magnification system for the central display?

A1) The cut-through diagram of the movement describes the construction better than words or photographs. The centre is the best place for the largest distance between the lens and the numeral that has to be magnified. 

Fabergé Visionnaire DTZ Schematics

Q2) Where is the hidden peacock and wheat-sheaf motif for the jumping hour disc?

A2) As the hidden peacock and the cam are mostly hidden on photographs, the CAD schematic shows both better.

Fabergé Visionnaire DTZ Hidden Peacock

Peacock pecking wheat

Q3) Is the hidden winding rotor made of sapphire and what is the peripheral weight made of?

A3) The center of the winding rotor is in titanium and the peripheral weight (fixed by 5 blue screws) is in platinum to maximize the torque and reduce thickness. The sapphire disc is the dial that covers the rotor.

Fabergé Visionnaire DTZ Dial and winding rotor

EXTENDED ON-THE-WRIST REVIEW

Visionnaire DTZ

I wore a loan Fabergé Visionnaire DTZ for my on-the-wrist review. Personally, I prefer the 18K white gold and black DLC treated titanium version that best accentuates the contemporary bi-coloured design.

The hours and minutes of the local time are shown by peripheral, open-worked hands rotating around a raised, decorated dome at the centre of the dial. The digital display hour of a second, distant time zone (or GMT) is viewed through a central aperture, magnified by optics. By using 24 hour numerals, there is no need for a Day/Night indicator found in most GMT watches. A dial-side rotor is barely visible beneath the colour-matched sapphire crystal hour ring with applied indices.

The dark grey dial with TC1 luminescent coated 15-minute indicators is made of sapphire with metallic treatment and applied numerals and hour indicators. The multi-layered dial construction and linear decorative radiating lines from the centre are evocative of the glow that the Imperial Fabergé Easter Eggs were famous for.

Visionnaire DTZ

The 43mm diameter case is made of 18 karat white gold and black treated titanium, with a slim bezel that conveys an air of grand elegance.

The fluted crown adds a imperious touch.

The lug construction is complex so that the leather strap is integrated into the case at an angle conducive to wearer comfort; even smaller wrists benefit from this arrangement as the strap moulds around the wrist. The folding or deployant clasp was worn "away" from the user that made for more comfort but took a while to get used to. At no point did I feel the clasp was going to detach nor the watch slip off the strap, which gave a sense of security. After all, that is the raison d'etre of a deployant clasp.

The domed sapphire crystal is sensuous to the touch and helps to magnify the 2nd time zone hour display. The anti-reflective coating on the sapphire caseback allows a sumptuous view of the beautifully decorated movement.

Whilst photographing the watch, I found it difficult to "see" the 2nd time zone display but after some time on-the-wrist, it became intuitive and normal to just turn my wrist to the right angle for instant reading. The pusher at 10 o'clock position is most convenient for setting the 2nd time zone hour difference from local time but importantly, it was not easy to accidentally change the setting. This is important for the traveller as I found to my embarrassment with another brand of Travel Time watch....

Agenhor 6924 movement with 24-H numeral disc in black

The central jumping hour display was precise on-the-hour with a discrete click rather than a shudder that some jumping hour watches are prone to.

Finally, having no date display nor seconds hand was so liberating instead of being obsessive about having to set both with military precision.

CONCLUSION

I felt 'special' wearing this watch about town; I guess that is the definition of an "enduring and endearing personal possession".

It did not have a bombastic complication nor ostentatious appearance. The 'white metal and black detailing' look was suitably discrete if you do not need to reveal it is precious metal.
Apart from fellow PuristS who know the watch, nobody knew of its hidden surprise and secrets. It was commented upon for the bold two-toned case and dial design but I had to reveal the central hour display.

I did a tour of my usual watch boutiques in London to compare other offerings.
Even experienced watch salespersons were wrong-footed when asked to guess the price after they were told about the functions, case materials and brand.

Only one salesman guessed a price close to the correct $29,500 figure.

At the end of the day, this was a likeable watch but you already knew that because a whole load of people at the GPHG also did......

FINALLY

As watch enthusiasts and collectors, we have a plethora of products to choose from. We could make our choices using either objective or subjective criteria and sometimes even both.

Assuming adequate technique and sufficient quality being equal amongst the top brands, I tend to "buy the seller rather than the watch".

In a short time, Fabergé has proven it's mettle as a "start-up" purveyor of "enduring and endearing" timepieces with two GPHG awards in successive years and I wish them luck with their 2017 offerings.

Although the next Fabergé timepiece may be quite fantastic, you can be sure that the team is 'fun-tastic' too.....

Aurélie Picaud  and Sean Gilbertson

Laying Everything on the Table

Fabergé Visionnaire DTZ 18K white gold / DLC titanium Specification:

•Calibre: Self-winding 6924
•Diameter: 34.80 mm (1501/2 lines)
•Thickness: 8.30 mm
•Number of jewels: 30
•Number of components: 320
•Power reserve: 50 hrs
•Cadence of balance: 21'600 vibrations/h
•Decorations Main-plate: circular grained
•Bridges: Cotes de Genève, hand polished chamfering
•Functions: Hours, minutes, central GMT (second time zone)

•Case: 18kt white gold and black treated titanium case, 43mm, domed sapphire crystal and case back with single-sided anti-reflective treatment
•Water resistance 30 m

•Dial External part: dark grey dial with TC1 luminescent coating 15-minute indicators
•Sapphire with metallic treatment and applied numerals and hour indicators
•Dark grey part applied on the rotor
•Dark grey decorative "bombée" part

•Hands: Dark grey treated steel with TC1 luminescent coating

•Strap: Alligator strap 18kt white gold and titanium Fabergé folding clasp

Thanks and Acknowledgements are due towards  Jean-Marc Wiederrecht, Aurélie Picaud  and Sean Gilbertson.

By: Dr Melvyn Teillol-Foo, 2017

Declaration:

I have not received any remuneration, in cash or in kind, from Faberge for this review.